DARPA, MKUltra, Tavistock et alia. have poured billions and billions into studying the effects of propaganda, including movies of subject expressions, eye dilations and brain waves while watching various types of media.
If a media can get a brain washed propaganda consumer to imitate the contemptuous smirk of the talking head or brain washing officer reflexively in relation to targeted disinformation, then it is a success.
I have noticed the reflex 'Rachel Maddow' smirk 'n sneer in my liberal friend when I try to educate him. I swear, he doesn't even know he does it, it is like a petit mal programmed propaganda seizure that relies on our inherently imitative nature.
I wonder if they will still have that smirk in front of the firing squad?
Staged as hell.